How to fill out a bill of sale, line by line

A vehicle bill of sale needs the parties, the vehicle identifiers, the price, the odometer disclosure and the as-is language. Getting the VIN and mileage right is what makes the DMV accept it.

Published July 25, 2026·3 min read

To fill out a vehicle bill of sale you need six blocks of information: the buyer and seller (full legal names and addresses), the vehicle (year, make, model and VIN), the price and payment terms, the federal odometer disclosure, the condition terms (as-is or a limited warranty), and signatures with the date. Everything else is optional. The two fields that cause rejected title transfers are the VIN and the odometer reading.

Line by line

1. Date of sale. The date ownership actually changes hands, not the date you printed the form. Insurance and liability follow this date.

2. Seller. Full legal name as it appears on the title, plus address. If the title lists two owners joined by "and", both must sign.

3. Buyer. Full legal name and address, exactly as it will appear on the new registration.

4. Vehicle description. Year, make, model, body type, color, and the VIN. Copy the VIN from the title or the dashboard plate, character by character, and read it back. A single transposed digit means the DMV cannot match the document to the vehicle.

5. Price. The actual sale amount in dollars. If the vehicle is a gift, write zero and say it is a gift — do not enter a nominal $1 to be helpful. Some states tax gifts differently from sales, and a $1 sale price on a $9,000 car invites a use-tax assessment at fair market value.

6. Payment terms. Paid in full at signing, or installments with the balance and dates. If there is a balance, say who holds the title until it is paid.

7. Odometer disclosure. The mileage at the time of transfer, and whether it is the actual mileage, exceeds mechanical limits, or is not the actual mileage. This is required by federal law, and a knowingly false statement is a federal offense — not a formality.

8. Condition. "As is, where is, with no warranties express or implied" for a private sale, or the specific terms of any limited warranty you are giving.

9. Signatures. Both parties sign and date. Add a notary block or witness lines if your state requires them, or if the buyer is financing.

What to do at the same time

Sign the title over. The bill of sale supports the transfer; the title is what transfers ownership. A bill of sale alone does not make the buyer the legal owner.
Give both parties a copy. Each keeps a signed original.
Seller: file a release of liability with your state DMV if it offers one, and remove your plates if that is your state's rule. This is what protects you from tickets and tolls incurred after the sale.
Buyer: register within your state's deadline, often 10 to 30 days, or late fees apply.

Three mistakes that cause real problems

Selling without the title in hand. If the title is lost or still held by a lender, the buyer may end up needing a bonded title, which is slow and expensive. Order a duplicate title or get the lien released before you advertise.

Leaving the odometer line blank. Many DMVs reject the packet outright, and the buyer cannot complete registration.

Assuming "as is" covers everything. As-is disclaims warranties; it does not license misrepresentation. If you are asked a direct question about accident history or a known defect, answer honestly.

Generate one that already has the required language

Our template asks for each field in order, includes the federal odometer disclosure and as-is or limited-warranty options, adds notary and witness blocks, and warns you if a gift is marked with a price above zero or if the vehicle has no title. PDF and Word, one payment.

→ Vehicle Bill of Sale